A Different Routine
by Deadly.Nightshade.Blossom
Summary: What would happen if the episode 'Routine' took a different turn? Ulrich decides to tell Yumi how he feels in his own unique way, with help from Odd, Jeremie and Aelita. YxU
1. Chapter 1

Well, here it is… my first ever fanfic (after a LOT of writer's block)

**Well, here it is… my first ever fanfic (after a LOT of writer's block)! Yay! XD **

**It's basically UxY and how they (finally) get together after MY version of the episode 'Routine'. Thanks to SnowPrincessMossy for her brilliant advice (even if I **_**did**_** disobey the bit about the chapter stories… sorry about that), constructive criticism taken with a smile and a wave, and hope you like it!**

**Oh, and I know the setting might be a **_**little**_** off in the scene after the return to the past. Also, Jeremie, Odd and Aelita saw what happened between them on Lyoko. But no sweat.**

**Disclaimer: Raise your hand if you think I own Code Lyoko. (Nobody should have their hand up)**

**Chapter One**

Ulrich sighed wistfully, sitting on the steps outside the cafeteria after the return to the past. He was thinking what had transpired only a few seconds ago on Lyoko.

Flashback

A slight breeze lifted Yumi's hair and Ulrich's headband as they leaned in toward each other. Every nerve in Ulrich's body was ablaze as he drew ever closer to his beloved. It seemed to take an eternity.

Meanwhile, in the tower Aelita had almost completed the deactivation. Then, as she entered the password LYOKO and stood back, head tilted slightly, the white bubble of the return enveloped the couple outside, but not before their lips had met for the briefest instant.

End flashback

Ulrich sighed again, wishing that instant had lasted for the tiniest bit longer. He looked up as a shadow fell over him and nearly choked in surprise. Yumi herself was standing over him, a slightly quizzical expression on her perfect features.

'Um… Ulrich? Can we talk? Privately?' she asked, blushing slightly.

'Yeah, um… sure I guess…' he replied, with a blush to match her own. He patted the spot next to him and she sat down gratefully.

They were silent for a bit, and then Yumi said in a rush, 'Listen, about what happened on Lyoko…' Both blushes darkened markedly.

'Yeah, I've been meaning to talk to you about that too…' he replied quickly. 'Um… I gotta tell you something… um… I don't know how to put this… well…' He was saved the embarrassment by the bell ringing. Yumi jumped up.

'Listen, I'll talk to you later about it, OK? I really have to run…' She dashed off as Ulrich mentally beat himself up as he watched the love of his life go.

Aelita, Jeremie and Odd had been nagging Ulrich to do it for days. They whispered to him in class, sent texts to his cell phone, left notes on his bed. All saying the same thing.

_Ask Yumi out._ Or, on other occasions _Tell her how you feel. _It was getting a tad annoying.

Oh boy, he wanted to, with all his conscious will, but whenever he tried to compose how to say it in his head, it always sounded completely and utterly nonsensical.

Besides, what would he do if they broke up? He would never recover, and couldn't bear the thought of no Yumi in his life. And there was always the very possible possibility of her refusing, and then their friendship would be history. No, he didn't want that to happen.

But since they had kissed (Ulrich blushed even thinking about it) Ulrich knew he had to tell her. If he didn't, he would surely explode. Ulrich stood up and went to his dorm to think.

'Uh, hey Yumi… I wanted to tell you… that… uh… I really like you and… ' Ulrich told himself in the mirror.

'No, no, that's not right… I LOVE her…' he muttered under his breath, unbeknown of the tape recorder held by a certain blonde hiding under the bed. Ulrich tried again.

'Oh, hi Yumi! Um… so… you doing anything this weekend…?' Ulrich stuttered at his reflection.

'No, Ulrich, why are you asking? Is it because you're in_ love_ with me?'

A very annoying, albeit muffled, voice answered from somewhere underfoot.

Ulrich nearly fell over himself and swore.

'Odd Della Robbia, I swear I'll-' Ulrich was unable to complete his sentence as a purple, very dusty, streak shot out from under his bed.

Ulrich stared in disbelief and horror as Odd pressed the 'Play' button on his recorder. Ulrich's failed attempts at asking Yumi out began to sound. Geez, he had even put romantic music in the background, the little squirt.

Ulrich's jaw dropped. He lunged at Odd, narrowly missing him as the manically laughing figure skipped out of reach, still waving the recorder.

'So… unless you do as we say, the next time you hear this will be at…' Odd drew a deep, dramatic breath, 'ASSEMBLY!' he yelled with glee.

Ulrich sank to the ground, defeated. He nodded once.

**Yeah yeah, I know the first chapter is boring. Next chapter will be better, I promise! Review please!**


	2. Chapter 2

Hey, look, it's the second chapter

**Hey, look, it's the second chapter! Hope you like it!**

**Chapter Two**

Ulrich sat in the classroom, looking longingly outside. Aelita and Odd were at the front of the class, as Jeremie was busy doing something with his laptop in the back, as per usual. The rest of the class was deserted, as it was lunchtime.

'MR. STERN! PAY ATTENTION!' Odd screeched in such a good imitation of Ms. Hertz that Ulrich nearly fell out of his seat in shock. He glared at Aelita and Odd, who were now laughing hysterically.

'Are you going to laugh all day or are we actually going to get something done?' he grumbled.

Odd and Aelita immediately grew mock-serious, but soon subsided into chuckles again.

'Remind me why I'm here again?' Ulrich groaned.

'Because, my lovesick friend, we are here to help you ask Yumi out!' Odd replied merrily.

'Listen, I don't need your help! I'm only here because of that stupid tape!' Ulrich retorted angrily. Odd and Aelita looked taken aback as Jeremie continued tapping away at his laptop.

Ulrich softened at the crestfallen looks on his friends' (minus Jeremie's) faces.

'Oh, all right… But don't make me do anything completely insane, OK?' he grumbled.

'Done! But we've wasted enough time already. I'll hand it over to Aelita.' Odd beamed.

'Look, we really want to help you, Ulrich! Yumi is as in love with _you_ as _you_ are with _her_.' As she spoke, she drew diagrams on the board to emphasise. 'You two could have a great relationship and… well… let's say we're here to speed things up a bit.'

'Yeah, with the way Ulrich is doing, it'll take all year just to muster up the courage!' Odd quipped. Ulrich shot him a death glare and Odd quailed.

Ulrich began listing all the things that could go wrong, but Aelita cut him off.

'Listen, d'you want this relationship or not?' she asked curtly. Ulrich, surprised at being cut off so suddenly, nodded uncertainly. 'Well then.'

Odd continued. 'Well, what we think is that you shouldn't just pop up and tell her you love h-'

'Well then why am I here?' Ulrich interrupted.

'Let me finish!' Odd glared indignantly at Ulrich. 'As I was saying, we want you to do something _special_. Not just the same old "Hey Yumi, I love you, wanna go out with me?"'

'But I wouldn't say it like _that_!' Ulrich protested.

'Interrupting again!' said Odd in a sing-song voice. Ulrich shot him another death glare. 'So we were thinking we would help you think of some _original_ ways of telling h-'

'You know what? Forget this, I'm out of here!' Ulrich stood up and walked out the door.

'Well, I did tell you that would happen…' Jeremie said his first sentence in a long time, finally looking up.

'Don't worry. He'll be back…' Odd said confidently.

And, true to Odd's prediction, he did come back the next day.

At breakfast, before Yumi arrived, Ulrich voiced his thoughts.

'Look, I'm sorry I was like that yesterday. Um… could you… well-'

'Sure we'll help you, old buddy!' Odd clapped him on the back. 'Meet us same place same time today!' as the bell rang. Odd, Aelita and Jeremie left leaving Ulrich shaking his head in wonder.

'And he tells _me_ not to interrupt.'

Near the start of lunch, Ulrich entered the classroom. Aelita and Odd were there, Jeremie was in his dorm.

'Now, you'd better not walk out this time! That's two lunches I've had to miss on your account!' Odd warned.

'Yes, and you know how dear food is to Odd's heart!' Aelita added.

Ulrich glared at them both and sat down heavily.

'You have got to stop glaring like that. Bad for your eyes, you know.' Odd helpfully commented. Aelita nudged him in the ribs.

'Get on with it!'

After much discussion, Odd and Aelita had finally convinced Ulrich on a way to admit his feelings.

'So, here's what we do...'

11.30 that night…

All was peaceful at Kadic Junior High. The only lights came from the dim ones in the corridor. Jim strolled down the boys' dormitory corridor on his nightly patrol.

He paused at Della Robbia's room, suspicious as he and his roommate had been caught breaking the rules more than once. His hand hovered above the doorhandle…

'AIEEEE!' A terrified scream rent the air, again and again, echoing eerily down the corridor. Jim dashed to the girl's corridor, where the sound was emanating.

Sleepy Kadic students poked their heads out of their doorways, wondering what the commotion was about.

'All right everyone, get back to bed!' Jim bellowed in his gruff voice as he rushed past. However, as most people are apt to do in these situations, they would not 'go back to bed' and followed eagerly.

Jim paused at Sissi's room. This was where, he guessed, the wails were coming from. Another ear-splitting screech from behind the door soon confirmed it as everyone in the immediate vicinity winced.

Jim put his hand on the doorhandle and braced himself. He swung open the door to find Sissi Delmas, hair dyed a hideous green and spiked, face ridiculously made up, and to top it all off, she was covered in a substance that gave off a strong odour of rotting eggs.

'Well, DON'T JUST STAND THERE!' she shrieked. Everyone winced again.

'Mind explaining, Miss Delmas?' said Jim dryly. Behind him, a camera flashed and quite a few people were giggling.

'Well, I was just having my beauty sleep when I was covered in this… this… _stuff_,' she said, gesturing at the rotten-egg mixture. 'That woke me up. I went to look in the mirror and…' Sissi screwed up her eyes, took a deep breath and screeched her loudest. She almost went supersonic.

Jim clapped his hands to his ears and only then appeared to notice the crowd of people behind him.

'GET BACK TO BED!' he roared. But nobody could hear him over Sissi's wails.

**Hmm… what's Ulrich going to do? **

**Looking back on it, this story actually is pretty bad. I seriously won't be surprised if you don't like it. Sorry to put you through this, hopefully my next attempts will have more success!**


	3. Chapter 3

The last chapter

**The last chapter! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 3**

Odd had his ear pressed against his dormitory door. A grin slowly spread its way across his face as he listened.

'Wow, Aelita sure knows how to set up a distraction!'

'So do I leave now?' Ulrich enquired. He was dressed in his normal attire, and was holding a rope Odd had sneaked out of the supply closet along with a rose. One end was tied to Odd's bed and the other was secure around Ulrich's waist.

Odd waved him out the window and took charge of the rope.

Ulrich took a deep breath and walked over to the window.

'Now remember – don't look down!' Odd cautioned. Ulrich nodded. He was already sweating.

He abseiled down. When he finally made it to the ground, he hastily untied the knot and raced off to the Ishiyama residence.

'A night for romance, I'd say!' said Odd as he watched his friend race off.

Ulrich arrived at Yumi's house, panting slightly. He took a few minutes rest, then gathered up all the pebbles he could find.

He then threw them up at Yumi's window, hoping she would hear and not think he was a stalker.

After what seemed like an eternity, her window opened.

'What?' she hissed, ebony hair glinting in the moonlight as she leant down to see who her midnight visitor was. Her eyes widened.

'Ulrich! What are you _doing _here? Why aren't you in school?' she hissed again. But her face told him she wasn't entirely unhappy to see him.

Ulrich opened his mouth, but no words came out. _Of all the times…!_ he thought. Dumbly, he held up the rose he carried. _She must think I'm such an _idiot_!_

Yumi's mouth fell open as she blushed furiously. 'You'd better come up then,' she whispered, not altogether reluctantly.

Ulrich's eyes widened, then he grinned and began scaling the drainpipe. All vertigo was washed away by the thought that, a few minutes from now, he could have the girl of his dreams.

When he reached her window, he swung himself easily inside. Once there, he handed her the rose, his face matching the flower's hue.

Yumi took it, still amazed at what he had done. Ulrich stared at her, savouring the moment.

She was _perfect_. Shoulder-length, glossy ebony hair rippling back at the breeze that came just then, onyx eyes sparkling and complete with the small, shy smile playing across her lips as she returned his gaze.

'Yumi…' he murmured, tasting the sweet word on his lips. 'I came to… to say that…' _SAY IT! _his brain screamed at him. 'I love you!' he burst out. He immediately covered his mouth in shame and refused to meet her eyes.

Yumi opened her mouth, her beautiful black eyes sparkling.

'Don't say it.' Ulrich told her miserably, still looking down. 'You said before you wanted to be frie-'

Yumi placed a finger on his lips. 'Shhh…' she whispered, barely audible. 'Look at me…'

Ulrich looked up and caught his breath. Silhouetted by the moonlight, she looked like a goddess. It didn't help that her face was mere inches away and looking at him intensely.

Every perfect feature of her face was outlined and, in a replay of what happened on Lyoko, she shut her eyes and leaned in. Ulrich, hardly daring to breathe, did the same.

Their lips met…

CRACK! Choice words filled the room as a tree branch snapped outside. Ulrich's eyes flew open as he jerked away. He ran to the window and looked out.

There, sprawled on the ground atop a broken tree branch where he had apparently been perched, was Odd Della Robbia. He looked up and a stupid grin that Ulrich had come to hate filled his face.

'Gee, you're lucky my parents are out tonight…' Yumi commented dryly as she looked down on the spectacle.

'Well, that went well, don't you think Ulrich?' Odd called up merrily.

Ulrich nearly couldn't speak for rage. Odd saw the murderous look in his eyes and quickly made his escape.

'I'll… uh… see you back at school then?' he squeaked before dashing back to Kadic.

Ulrich turned back to Yumi. 'He is _so _dead…' he gritted. Yumi chuckled softly.

'Hey, relax!' she said softly. They looked at each other again, rage and embarrassment forgotten. Again they bent toward each other, only to be rudely interrupted _again_.

'Sorry, forgot something!' the steadily more irritating voice of Ulrich's roommate called up again. Ulrich leaned out the window again, eyes spitting fire.

Odd waved a box of popcorn at him, scattering the contents everywhere. 'This is the last time, I promise!' before once more running off to Kadic.

'This time I swear I'll-' Ulrich ground out as he turned around, to be met with a Yumi's lips millimetres away. She chuckled gently as they finally got the kiss they yearned.

Back at Kadic, Odd crept into Aelita's room to make his report.

'You didn't have to do that, you know,' reproached Aelita. 'What's with the popcorn?'

'Don't worry,' Odd replied airily. 'The point is… SUCCESS!' he cried jubilantly. Aelita squealed with delight.

'By the way, that was quite a distraction you put on. I bet Sissi woke the whole of France up!'

'Oh, it was nothing,' Aelita replied modestly, her face flushed with glee.

And so Yumi Ishiyama and Ulrich Stern finally got together.

**Whew! That's the end of it! Please review, I would really appreciate it! Oh, and for those who are wondering, I come from Australia and that is why my spelling differs on word like colour and cosy etc.**

**Again, I'm so sorry this fanfic is so horrible, so if there was something you didn't like about it, do say so in a review! Thanks for reading!**


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